DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yi et al (CN 210778755 U).
A machine translation is being used as the English translation for Yi et al (CN 210778755 U).
Regarding claim 1, Yi discloses a top cover (battery box handle device; Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]) comprising: a cover body (Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]), wherein the cover body comprises: a first cover plate (around #101; Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]), a first side plate (around #102; Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]), and a second side plate (opposite side of #102; Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]); the first side plate and the second side plate are opposite to each other and connected to one side of the first cover plate (Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]); and a first through-hole and a second through-hole opposite to each other are created on the first side plate and the second side plate respectively (Fig. 1 #101; paragraph [0028]); a first connecting seat (behind #101; Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]), wherein the first connecting seat is connected to a surface of the first side plate (Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]), the surface being oriented toward the second side plate (around #101; Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]); and a first groove communicating with the first through-hole is created on the first connecting seat (Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]); and a second connecting seat (behind #101 on opposite side; Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]), wherein the second connecting seat is connected to a surface of the second side plate (Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]), the surface being oriented toward the first side plate (Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]); and a second groove communicating with the second through-hole is created on the second connecting seat (Fig. 1; paragraph [0028]).
Regarding claim 2, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 1 as noted above and Yi discloses the top cover comprising further comprising: a first connecting rod (inner tube; Fig. 1; paragraph [0032]), wherein a part of the first connecting rod passes through the first through-hole and is fixed in the first groove (inner tube; Fig. 1; paragraph [0032]); a second connecting rod (inner tube; Fig. 1; paragraph [0032]), wherein a part of the second connecting rod passes through the second through-hole and is fixed in the second groove (inner tube; Fig. 1; paragraph [0032]); and a carrying handle (fig. 1 #5; paragraph [0033]), wherein two ends of the carrying handle are fitted to the first connecting rod outside the first through-hole and the second connecting rod outside the second through-hole respectively (Fig. 1 #5; paragraph [0033]), and the two ends of the carrying handle are rotatable relative to the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod respectively (Fig. 1 #5; paragraph [0033]).
Regarding claim 3, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 2 as noted above and Yi discloses the top cover comprising a first thread and a second thread matching each other are disposed on the first connecting rod and in the first groove respectively (gear surfaces on inner tube; paragraph [0031]); and/or a third thread and a fourth thread matching each other are disposed on the second connecting rod and in the second groove respectively (gear surfaces on inner tube; paragraph [0031]).
Regarding claim 5, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 2 as noted above and Yi discloses the top cover comprising a first limiting bulge protrudes from a circumferential surface of a part of the first connecting rod (gear surfaces on inner tube; paragraph [0031]), the part being located outside the first groove (gear surfaces on inner tube; paragraph [0031]); and one end of the carrying handle is fitted between the first side plate and the first limiting bulge (Fig. 1 #5; paragraph [0033]); and/or a second limiting bulge protrudes from a circumferential surface of a part of the second connecting rod (gear surfaces on inner tube; paragraph [0031]), the part being located outside the second groove; and another end of the carrying handle is fitted between the second side plate and the second limiting bulge (Fig. 1 #5; paragraph [0033]).
Regarding claim 6, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 5 as noted above and Yi discloses the top cover comprising the first limiting bulge is disposed around the first connecting rod for one circle along the circumferential surface of the first connecting rod (Figs 1-2, paragraph [0032]); and/or the second limiting bulge is disposed around the second connecting rod for one circle along the circumferential surface of the second connecting rod (Figs 1-2, paragraph [0032]).
Regarding claim 9, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 1 as noted above and Yi discloses the top cover comprising the first connecting seat disposed apart from the first cover plate (Fig. 1 #102; paragraph [0028])and the second connecting seat disposed apparat from the first cover plate (Fig. 1 #102; paragraph [0028]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi et al (CN 210778755 U).
A machine translation is being used as the English translation for Yi et al (CN 210778755 U).
Regarding claim 13, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 1 as noted above.
Yi does not disclose the top cover comprising a transition between the first connecting seat and the first side plate being arcuate and/or a transition between the second connecting seat and the second side plate being arcuate.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to adjust the shape of the transitions to be arcuate because doing so allows for the ends of the handle to rotate efficiently.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi et al (CN 210778755 U) in view of Yang et al (US 2010/0190048 A1).
A machine translation is being used as the English translation for Yi et al (CN 210778755 U).
Regarding claim 4, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 3 as noted above and Yi discloses a first nut is disposed in the first groove (fasteners are screws or bolts; paragraph [0032]), the second thread is disposed on the first nut (paragraph [0032]), and the second thread of the first nut is connected to the first thread of the first connecting rod (paragraph [0032]); a second nut is disposed in the second groove (fasteners are screws or bolts; paragraph [0032]), the fourth thread is disposed on the second nut (paragraph [0032]), and the fourth thread of the second nut is connected to the third thread of the second connecting rod (paragraph [0032]).
Yi does not disclose the top cover comprising the first nut and the second nut being metal.
However, Yang discloses a battery module comprising the first nut and the second nut being metal (insert nuts are metal; paragraph [0019]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the top cover of Yi to substitute the fasteners of Yi for the metal insert nuts of Yang because doing so insert nuts of high strength preventing rupture or breakage of insert buts when external impact is applied to the battery module (paragraph [0019] of Yang).
Claims 14-15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi et al (CN 210778755 U) in view of Zeng (CN 212907896 U).
Machine translation are being used as the English translations for Yi et al (CN 210778755 U) and Zeng (CN 212907896 U).
Regarding claims 14 and 15, Yi discloses the top cover of claim 1 as noted above.
Yi does not disclose the top cover comprising a battery and electrical equipment comprising the battery.
However, Zeng discloses a housing comprising a battery and an electrical device for better airtightness (paragraph [0005]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the top cover for Yi to include the battery and electrical equipment of Zeng in the top cover of Yi because doing so provides better tightness for a battery and electrical equipment (paragraph [0005] of Zeng).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 and 10-12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art Yi does not disclose the top cover comprising protruding dimensions of the third side plate at the two ends are greater than or equal to a dimension by which the first connecting rod extends outside the first through-hole and a dimension by which the second connecting rod extends outside the second through-hole, respectively and a first cushion sandwiched between the first connecting seat and the first cover plate and/or a second cushion sandwiched between the second connecting seat and the first cover plate.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SATHAVARAM I REDDY whose telephone number is (571)270-7061. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-6:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mark Ruthkosky can be reached at (571)-272-1291. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SATHAVARAM I REDDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1785
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